Oh Wonder tease new album with ‘Heavy’

It’s been a funny old week but having a bit of a dance around to ‘Heavy’ has been a source of relief. The track is a bit more close to home than the first two from second album Ultralife. The vocal melodies are the focus of the song, framed by synths rather than vocals being a component of a far bigger production. It’s the kind of thing that makes heads turn and hips move effortlessly, as the video shows with the two of them dancing away.

There’s something about ‘Heavy’ that’s infectious, it feels like I’ve tapped a vein and just injected it straight into my bloodstream. The production of it is simple, strong melodies paired with the pianos that have become synonymous with Oh Wonder. I would say there’s a jazz element to the piano chords but that would be selling it short, there’s too much to be able to pin it down to one genre and stick in a box.

What really works about the song is that it’s sexy without being too heavy (no wordplay intended) or slinky or sleazy. There’s a expectation where for a song to be sexy it has to be slinky and dark with moody lyrics or it has to have sleazy lyrics with a beat fit for club dancefloors but Oh Wonder are out here breaking the rule. ‘Heavy’ is a balance between them. The duo’s melodies and piano soften the hum of synths to make the track playful and flirty.

From the way the tracks are looking currently Ultralife is set to be a completely different beast to its predecessor Oh Wonder. There’s more variety in style between the songs and a stronger pop presence meaning that Oh Wonder could see a lot more airplay from Ultralife. Ultralife is set for release July 14th but have a look at their Spotify here.